Recent Publications

Strategic Insights: After the Smoke Clears in Syria: Dilemmas for U.S. Strategy Remain
May 18, 2018 — Dr. Christopher J. Bolan In the wake of recent U.S. and Israeli military strikes, the potential for expanded U.S. military engagement in the Syrian civil war is growing and U.S. policymakers will need to plot a smart strategic course ahead. In doing so, they will need to conduct an honest appraisal of America’s interests in Syria and wrestle with... MORE

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Strategic Insights: The Assad Regime and Chemical Weapons
May 18, 2018 — Dr. Robert J. BunkerOn April 7, 2018, insurgents and civilians in a rebel enclave in Douma, east of Damascus, Syria, were subjected to a chemical weapons attack during an offensive conducted by Assad regime and allied Russian and Iranian-linked ground forces. At least 42 individuals were reported to have been killed in the attack due to... MORE

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The Land, Space, and Cyberspace Nexus: Evolution of the Oldest Military Operations in the Newest Military Domains
March 27, 2018 — Author: Mr Jeffrey L CatonOver the last century, the domains of air, space, and cyberspace have joined the traditional warfighting domains of land and sea. While the doctrine for land operations is relatively mature, the doctrine for space and cyberspace continue to evolve, often in an unstructured manner. This monograph examines the relationships... MORE

Strategic Insights: Making Good on the NSS and NDS: Competing with Russia in Europe and Beyond
March 20, 2018 — Dr. John Deni, 2018In January, the Trump administration released its first National Defense Strategy (NDS), which closely followed the December 2017 release of the new National Security Strategy (NSS). Both of these documents call for a fundamental shift in the U.S. approach to security, emphasizing competition against Russia and China at the... MORE

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Strategic Insights: The Strategic Relevance of Latin America in the U.S. National Security Strategy
March 14, 2018 — Dr. José de Arimatéia da Cruz The much-anticipated National Security Strategy of the United States of America was released in December 2017 by President Donald J. Trump. The National Security Strategy is composed of four pillars and is applied in a regional context. How does the National Security Strategy view the Western Hemisphere? What are the... MORE

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Parameters VOL. 47 NO. 4 WINTER 2017–18
March 8, 2018 — Editor: Dr Antulio J Echevarria IIFEATURES: Exploring War’s Character & Nature. "Clausewitz’s Theory of War and Victory in Contemporary Conflict" by Emile Simpson. "Will War’s Nature Change in the Seventh Military Revolution?" by F. G. Hoffman. Learning from Military Transformations. "Lessons Unlearned: Army Transformation and Low-Intensity... MORE

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Strategic Insights: Nuclear Posture Review: Three Reasons the Army Should Care
February 14, 2018 — Author: Dr Michael FitzsimmonsDebate over the Trump administration’s new Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) is now in full and predictable bloom. While many of its conclusions demonstrate continuity with the Obama administration’s modernization plans, controversy has centered on two of the review’s recommendations: to deploy new low-yield weapons on... MORE

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Avoiding the Trap: U.S. Strategy and Policy for Competing in the Asia-Pacific Beyond the Rebalance
February 6, 2018 — Editor: COL (R) Frederick J. Gellert, Dr David Lai, Prof John F TroxellThe Trump administration has recently called for a free and open Indo-Pacific, essentially replacing the Obama-era “Rebalance.” This U.S. Army War College report provides prescient analysis and policy recommendations on how to proceed down the path to this call while... MORE

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Strategic Insights: Challenges in Using Scenario Planning for Defense Strategy
January 30, 2018 — Dr. Michael FitzsimmonsLawrence Freedman and Colin Gray are two of the most famous contemporary scholars of military strategy. Within the past few years, each published a book addressing different aspects of the same practical problem of strategy: defense planning.1 Considered to be strategy’s mundane cousin, defense planning revolves around how a... MORE

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Strategic Insights: Thinking Strategically About Latin America and the Caribbean
December 9, 2016 — Dr. R. Evan Ellis In the 2016 U.S. presidential debates, as on other occasions, the theme of Latin America and the Caribbean was remarkably absent. Important events in the region occasionally insert themselves into the U.S. consciousness through the mainstream media, including: the arrival of thousands of Central American child refugees at the U.S... MORE

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Strategic Insights: Think Before You Post: A Message to Those in Uniform
December 9, 2016 — Colonel Heidi A. UrbenAccording to a Gallup poll conducted July 18-25, 2016, the 2016 presidential election campaign had set an inauspicious record: never before have so many Americans held such unfavorable views of each party’s presidential nominee. Among registered voters, 58 percent held negative views of both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton... MORE

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Enhancing Identity Development at Senior Service Colleges
December 1, 2016 — Author: Doctor Thomas P GalvinIdentity development is touted as an important leader development need, but it often gets short shrift in professional military education (PME) environments, including the Senior Service Colleges (SSC). The inculcation of professional values, resiliency, and critical and reflective thought are essential to properly... MORE

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